Stack Pack

[36041]

All,

I finally got back down to the boat and test fit my homemade stack pack. I've attached a picture showing the test fitting. For any PDQ owners who have some sort of stack pack, how many leash lines do you have from your lazy jacks? I made my pack with 5 per side, but this is probably too many as in the picture I am only using 2.

I think I could probably get away with just three and then a tie at the aft end to the topping lift and another 1 foot length of the receiver channel on the mast at the front.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Tom
36041
http://www.tendervittles.net

[Dan White]

Looks good. Mine is supported by one at each end and 2 in the middle -- total of 4, which seems fine.

By the way, I need a new one - want to make another?

[Cat Tales]

Is this where we put in our Christmas list for Santa?

FYI...after talking to the Doyle Stack Pack sailmakers in Ft. Lauderdale, they mentioned that although existing sunbrella-type sail covers may look like they are in good shape, when they are a few years old they no longer provide any UV protection, thus potentially degrading the sail underneath.

[maxicrom]

Tom,
I really like the Stack pack idea as well - our boat has lazy jacks, possibly came stock with the boat and I'd like to fabricate ours using the existing rigging. It has a single set of "leash lines" (if that is the correct term) . Looking at the Stack Pack info it looks like I could re-use my mast hardware and double the "leash" lines (moving them from under the boom where they attach now). Most likely a summer project.

FYI: To fight the UV we swap out our sail covers in winter to an old one then switch back in the summer (probably both are done by now).

Thanks,

Mike

[36041]

Mike,

Ours was made to fit the existing lazy jack rigging that came with the boat. We too had single line coming from just below mid way up the mast that were spliced to two lines per side about 8 feet over the boom. I am taking each of these lines and splicing them again to make 4 lines per side.

In retrospect, I could have most likely gotten away with just 2 lines per side to support the pack, but I like the idea of 4 lines per side to corral the main as it falls back down. I used 15 feet of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC in the top edge of the pack to provide some support to the fabric and consequently we got a much more even and uniform line from front to back. We wanted to use batten material, but Sailrite wanted something like 2.50 a foot (~$75) and Home Depot only wanted $6 for the whole thing. Also the PVC route uses 2 - 6 foot lengths and a cut down 3 footer that are connected by PVC fittings and can be remove, collapsed and stored inside during the off season or hurricane weather.

The bottom is held to the boom with a bolted on track and a corresponding plastic seam that is sewn into the pack material. The stuff is normally used for screen porches and awnings.

Tom
36041
www.tendervittles.net

[amytom]

Good job Tom!!

When we made ours we only used 3 lines per side. The biggest problem we've had is when raising the main sometimes one of the battens gets caught up but it does free up easily.


BTW Are you still in Orlando area?

[36041]

Tom,

Thanks for the comments. We are still in the Orlando area trying to finish up several boat jobs so we can splash Dream Catcher and head out. The boat yard is conspiring against us and it is taking forever to finish a few outstanding items. That and I broke my foot just before Thanksgiving and it's still too sore to do much work with.

We hope to be out after the first of the year, but it depends on how quickly I can heal and finish up the boat work. Give us a call if you guys get some free time maybe we can hook up for a beer or something.

Later,
Tom

[Lady of the Lake]

Where is Dream Catcher if you are in Orlando?

Sam in Melbourne

[36041]

Dream Catcher is in Stuart on the hard.

[maxicrom]

Tom,

Thanks for the info... it really looks likes you did a good job. Good luck with the foot, I just had my shoulder done and am going stir crazy as well.

Btw: Looking at Dream Catcher - It looks like you have a hard top - are your windows hard or Eisenglass? Our Bimini is on it's last round so I'm thinking of going to a hard top - and always looking at ideas.

Update: Looking closer I see it is the aft deck of the cruiser behind yours - jokes on me .

Mike

[36041]

Mike,

I had to go check the picture myself as I have just finished building a hard top for mine, but I was pretty sure I hadn't shown it to anybody yet. For a minute I thought maybe I put a picture of it up here by mistake.

If your interested, the one I made is thermoformed out of XPVC. It weighs in at svelte 34 pounds, it fits my existing bows even with the radius bends and once it's painted it'll look like original equipment. More details and pictures to follow as soon as I am able to get back on both feet.

Tom
36041
www.tendervittles.net

[maxicrom]

Tom,

Must be Kismet... I'm very interested.

Thanks,

Mike

[Marc Gershel]

What the heck is XPVC? I built a welded tubular frame, similar to the size and shape of a hardtop, and covered it with Stamoid fabric. Is XPVC stong enough to stand on? I'd sure like to know more about it. Sounds really interesting.

Marc

[36041]

Marc,

XPVC is short for expanded poly vinyl chloride or expanded PVC. I used 3 mm thick, 8 foot x 4 foot sheets and no, it isn't strong enough to stand on. It is however, strong enough to mount more solar panels on and it is stiff enough that it does not move about in 60 knots of wind. I only know the wind part because the sheets didn't deflect when I had them tied to the roof of the car going 75mph down I-95.

I'll have pictures and a more detailed write up in about 2 weeks.

Regards,
Tom
36041
www.tendervittles.net